Tom Liessens

Tom Liessens holds a Master's degree in law from the University of Ghent and a subsequent LL.M. in Intellectual Property Rights from the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL).

Tom started his career as a lawyer-trainee in 2014 in private practice and gained experience in various aspects of Commercial law, Intellectual Property law and Information Technology law.

Tom joined De Clercq & Partners as a Legal Counsel and Benelux Trademark and Design Attorney in October 2015. In January 2018, he successfully completed the two-year professional training course organized by the Benelux Association for Trademark and Design law (BMM) and qualified as a BMM Certified Trademark Attorney. In October 2019, Tom also qualified as a European Trademark and Design Attorney.

Additionally, Tom has successfully completed a Data Protection Officer Certification training and is De Clercq & Partners’ go-to person for matters relating to GDPR.

Tom became a Junior Partner at our firm in 2025.

Areas of practice

Tom provides clients with strategic and hands-on advice on the protection, maintenance and management of small and large trademark and design portfolios and he also assists in negotiations and drafting agreements relating to Intellectual Property.

He has extensive experience in trademark and design prosecution, including formal proceedings before the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property and the European Union Intellectual Property Office, in opposition matters, infringement and enforcement cases.

Tom regularly lectures on several IP related topics. He is a member of AIPPI, BMM and LES Benelux. He is also secretary of the Young AIPPI Committee (YAC), treasurer of the Young BMM Committee and the BMM Programming Committee and board member of the Beneluxstichting Beroepsopleiding Merken- en Modellengemachtigden (BBMM).

Languages

Tom is a native Dutch speaker and is also fluent in English and French.

Competences

Tom has experience in legal aspects of intellectual property, particularly trademarks and designs, and in product and service development in various areas of intellectual property.